My Heart Told Me
by acciojd
Summary: It amazed him how much emotion was contained in his oldest nephew's voice. In just that one word he heard panic, concern, love, and terror. In just that one word, Thorin knew something had gone terribly wrong...


**A/N: Thanks for checking this out. It's my first hobbit fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy it. Constructive criticism is always welcome and please send me a review!**

My Heart Told Me

Kili.

Thorin heard the word leave Fili's lips and it amazed him how much emotion was contained in his oldest nephew's voice. In just that one word he heard panic, concern, love, and terror. In just that one word, Thorin knew something had gone terribly wrong.

Thorin's barrel was closest to the iron gates holding them prisoner in Mirkwood. His position kept him blind to Kili's peril. His view of his youngest nephew was completely obstructed. He could seek the orcs moving fast along the sides of the river, he could see the members of his company who were not trapped underneath the bridge fighting from their positions. He could see Fili.

He didn't need to see Kili to know that something went wrong. He could hear it in Fili's voice. He could hear it in his heart.

He repeated the name, "Kili", as icy terror flooded his veins, freezing his heart. Everything slowed down. Nothing else mattered but Fili and Kili.

The barrels of other dwarves in the company kept him shielded from getting to his sister-sons, but it didn't stop him from trying. He could see that Fili's eyes were wide and firmly fixed on something above him. His older nephew's brow was furrowed in concern and he was biting his lower lip. Fili was struggling to get out of his barrel, presumably to head towards his brother, but Bofur's grasp on his shoulder kept him in place

Allowing himself a moment of relief, Thorin let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Fili looked scared, terrified even, but he knew that whatever had happened, Kili was still alive.

Thorin shuddered to think of the look in Fili's eyes should Kili fall. The two brothers were beyond kin. They were connected at a far deeper level, one that Thorin did not entirely understand. However, there was one thing Thorin did know for certain regarding his two heirs. One could not lose the other.

_A bundle of blue charged at Thorin, latching itself onto his left leg._

"_UNCLE"_

_Thorin reached down and detached the child from his leg. "What is it, my Kili?" Thorin asked, a smile on his face as he realized the bundle was actually a small dwarfling. His smile fell when he saw the panic in the child's eyes._

"_It's Fili, Uncle, he's in trouble." Thorin frowned at this. Up until a few minutes ago, Kili was sitting in the bedroom he usually shared with his older brother playing with wooden carvings. Fili, finally old enough to wield a practice sword, was out training with Dawlin. It was Fili's first month of training. The brothers were only separate for those two hours a day when Fili was training with Dawlin. It had been difficult for Kili at first, and he would sniffle and plead to go with his brother. Sometimes Dawlin would allow him to, and he would sit in the grass watching his brother spar with the warrior. Sometimes, like today, Kili would be asked to stay at home. _

_It had been getting better, Kili no longer cried to go along, but seemed content playing in his room until his brother returned. He had not had an outburst like this all week. _

"_Nonsense, Kili, he is out with Dawlin. He will be home in about half an hour." Thorin said, bending down so that he was eye to eye with his youngest sister-son. _

"_Uncle please, he's in trouble. He needs me!" Kili cried, and Thorin was shocked to see terror in the small child's eyes._

_Usually Thorin would not cave to such behavior and would have ordered Kili to return to his room, but the fear in Kili's eyes struck him to the core. The young dwarfling should not yet be exposed to trauma that would leave that look in his eyes._

"_Alright little one, I'll go out and check on your brother. You stay in your room until I get back." Thorin said._

_Kili nodded slowly and Thorin put his boots on and walked over to the field where he knew Dawlin and Fili would be practicing. _

_As the field grew closer and his older nephew and old friend came into view, Thorin broke into a run. Dawlin had a fighting stance and was shielding the young prince. Blood ran down the side of the warrior's face. Fili had a small dagger in his hand and was brandishing it the best he could, looking terrified but unharmed._

_Surrounding them were a small group of Goblins, not many, but enough. With a war cry, Thorin raised his sword and joined in the fray. _

_Renewed by the presence of his king, Dawlin let out a matching cry and the two made short work of disposing the goblins._

_As soon as the last one fell, Thorin turned to where he last saw Fili. The spot was empty._

"_FILI!" Thorin screamed, icy terror gripping his heart._

"_He's over there, Thorin." Dawlin calmly stated one hand on Thorin's shoulder, other pointing toward the direction Thorin had run in from. Throin followed the direction of his friends hand and saw his two nephews clinging to each other as if their lives depended on it._

_Kili had followed Thorin towards the practice field. For as wise as Thorin was, he should have known his youngest nephew would not have waited patiently at their home while he believed his older brother was in trouble._

_After assuring himself that both his nephews were safe, and merely shookin up, he gathered them in his arms and headed back to their home. It wasn't until later that night, when both the boys were safe in their bed, that Thorin grasped the severity of what had happen._

_Goblin raids were rare in these parts, limited to the occasional unorganized plundering. Yet somehow, Kili knew._

_Thorin walked into the room his nephew's shared. The two boys were both asleep, but Kili's small hands were gripping his brothers sleeping shirt in a vice-like fashion._

"_Kili…" Thorin whispered, playing his large hand on the small dwaflings back and rubbing it slightly._

_Kili relinquished his grasp on Fili and rolled toward his Uncle's voice. He opened his eyes slightly, blinking up with sleepy eyes._

"_Kili, how did you know your brother needed us?" Thorin said, carefully saying 'us' instead of what he truly suspected. _

_Kili yawned sleepily and rolled back towards his brother. "My heart told me" the small dwarfling whispered. Before Thorin could ask a follow up question, Kili had returned to sleep. _

_As he suspected, It was not 'us' that Fili had called out for in his moment of terror. It was not Thorin at all. He had called for his brother, and Kili had heard. And he had answered. _

_Thorin leaned back in his chair watching the brothers sleep. They were connected. What this mean for the future, Throin did not yet know. _

Fili was still trying to get out of his barrel and aid his brother when the elves came. Thorin could see the blond elf prince slaying the Orcs with precise, disciplined, and deadly movements. He could see the she-elf, captain of the Mirkwood guard, moving with the deadly skill one could only have after hundreds if not thousands of years of training.

He saw Fili relax slightly, as if he knew the she-elf would aid his brother. Then, before Thorin could call meet Fili's eyes, the gate was open and his barrel was flying over the edge and rapidly moving down river.

They were free from the elf king of Mirkwood and no longer sitting ducks to the orcs attempting to slay them.

Thorin dipped into his barrel as an arrow flew over his head. A small smile grazed his lips and his heart filled with pride as he realized the the one dwarf who allowed them this renewed chance at recovering Erebor.

Kili.

As the current spun him rapidly downriver, he could do nothing but hope that the youngest of their company had made it back into his barrel. One thing kept the dwarf king from panicking. For Throrin knew in his soul that Fili would make sure his brother was with them.

This thought gave him momentary comfort that the company would remain unbroken.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please leave a review and let me know if you think I have a future in hobbit writing! **


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